Cheese

Nutrients found in cheese Cheese is particularly high in: high biological protein calcium fat. It also provides: vitamins A and D (depending on the season the milk is produced in) some B group vitamins phosphorous zinc.

Cheese How is cheese made? A starter culture is added to fresh, pasteurised homogenised milk. Rennet is added. Curds are formed and cut. The whey is drained from the curd. The curd is pressed to remove more whey. The more it is pressed the ‘harder’ the cheese becomes.

How is cheese stored after it is made? Cheese is wrapped and stored for up to 24 months allowing flavour to develop.

Cheese Different cheeses Cheeses are very different from one another depending on how much whey was removed, whether a flavouring or colourant was added and how long it has been stored for (this affects the age/maturity of the cheese). Generally, the harder the cheese the stronger the flavour. Cheeses that are used within a few weeks of production tend to have a mild flavour and a creamy texture.

How and why is cheese used in cooking? Cheese adds flavours from mild to very strong, from tangy to almost sweet. During cooking cheese becomes an appetising, rich golden colour. Heating cheese melts it and creates a soft, pliable, stringy texture. If overheated, the cheese proteins become burnt and will be bitter and hard.

Fresh cheeses and their uses Type of fresh cheese Uses Cottage cheese Salads Sandwiches Jacket potatoes Fromage Frais Dips Cheesecakes Cream cheese Cheesecakes Soups Jacket potatoes Sandwiches Ricotta Cheesecakes Filled ravioli Mozzarella Pizzas Salads

Soft and semi-hard cheeses and their uses Type of soft and semi-hard cheese Uses Brie Cheeseboards On crackers Quiches Camembert Cheeseboards Deep fried Feta Salads Soups St Paulin, Edam, Port Salut Cheeseboards What other soft cheeses are there? Research other dishes where soft cheeses can be used.

Examples of hard cheeses include: Cheddar Parmesan Red Leicester Emmenthal Jarlsberg Manchego. Hard cheeses can be used in most dishes that are cooked (e.g. cottage pie, lasagne and quiche). They can be grated and sprinkled onto the surface of foods or eaten on their own with crackers or bread.

Examples of blue cheeses include: Stilton Roquefort Danish Blue Gorgonzola. Blue cheeses have very tangy flavours. They can be used in cooked dishes, for example, Stilton and broccoli soup or Roquefort quiche. Explain how blue cheese is made.

Examples of processed cheeses are: Cheese Strings spreadable cheese cheese slices cheese triangles.

How should cheese be stored? Cheese must always be stored completely wrapped or in a sealed container and away from strong smelling foods. It should be kept in a fridge at 0 to 4 °C. Soft cheese must have the ‘use by’ date showing. Uncooked cheese tastes better if it is taken out of the fridge 30–60 minutes before it is to be eaten, but be careful to avoid food contamination!